AT&T has quietly updated its cellphone fine printed terms of service to again potentially ban devices like the Slingbox on its 3G network. Having initially pulled earlier changes in what they claimed was “an error,” after customer outcry. AT&T has yet again modified the terms to specifically prevent “redirecting television signals for viewing on Personal Computers.” It’s not evident whether the phrasing refers to any PC-like device, which could include smartphones, or if it only involves using 3G for the outgoing connection.

While most common uses for Intranet browsing, email and intranet access are permitted by your data plan, there are certain uses that cause extreme network capacity issues and interference with the network and are therefore prohibited. Examples of prohibited uses include, without limitation . . .downloading movies using P2P file sharing services, redirecting television signals for viewing on Personal Computers, web broadcasting, and/or for the operation of servers, telemetry devices….

Slingbox users has been waiting over a month for SlingPlayer for iPhone app to be approved without a response from Apple, which is partnered exclusively with AT&T in the US. Other phones like the BlackBerry Bold also on AT&T, already has use of SlingPlayer on 3G. So what gives?

AT&T hasn’t commented on the change as of yet. Is it time to organize with pitch-folks in hand and march on Apple and AT&T yet?

I have been a fan and user for Simplify Media’s iPhone and desktop clients since the very first version. Now Simplify has taken it up a notch to 2.0 adding some new features.

Continue reading Simplify Media Brings 2.0 to iPhone and Desktop…

If you were thinking of attending Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference, it may be too late. Apple has announced that the WWDC09 has sold out for this year. The conference sold out a few weeks earlier than last year, which marked the first time WWDC sold out in its history. WWDC09 will take place in San Francisco from June 8-12. Last year’s conference was the first to sell out

iPhone OS 3.0 is expected to be the hot topic at this year’s conference. Videos will be available for purchase shortly after the conference ends for those unable to attend.

If you are one of the lucky ones that have a Google Voice account you may be happy to know you now have a choice of apps to access your account from the iPhone.

GV Mobile and VoiceCentral are now both available in the App Store selling for $2.99. Both apps look great and have a similar feature set.

With either of these iPhone apps you can fetch Google Voice voicemail, send SMS, or dial numbers using your Google Voice account.

Sling has announced via their website the progress of SlingPlayer for iPhone which they claim has been submitted and awaiting approval.

Not so good news for Microsoft. Hit hard by the recession, Microsoft reported the first year-over-year revenue drop in its history, even short of analysts’ expectations.

Microsoft posted net income of $2.98 billion (33 cents per share), down 32 percent from the $4.4 billion (47 cents per share) recorded during the same period a year ago. However, that included a 6 cents per share one-time charge due to severance payments and investment impairments. Revenue for the company’s third fiscal quarter dropped 6 percent to $13.65 billion, from $14.45 billion a year ago.

On average, analysts had expected earnings per share of 39 cents and revenue of $14.1 billion. Some highlights after the jump:

Continue reading Microsoft Posts First Ever Drop in Revenue…

Congrats to Apple! The App Store just reached ONE BILLION downloads in only nine months. There are over 35,000 iPhone apps now available, more than any other mobile platform. The Billion App Countdown promotion has now ended. Check this page to see who won. Apple claims they will be posting the winners soon.

One of the more notable topics during the Apple financial conference today was the discussion on the netbook market.

Tim Cook, Apple COO took the question and in an answer that was truly Apple classic said, that netbooks are “junky … not a consumer experience that we would put the Mac brand on….I think it’s a stretch to call it a personal computer.” while quickly following-up with a good, old-fashioned “If we can find a way to deliver an innovative product … then we’ll do that.”

Sounds like a new product segment may yet to be invented will slide out of Cupertino soon enough, maybe with even Steve Jobs himself gives us “just one more thing” once again. Especially if you believe the 10-inch screen rumors.

Netbooks are touted as an innovation by the companies that make them. Really they are only cheap, small under-sized, under-powered laptops. I am not knocking them as I own two of them. I am just pointing out they are hardly a new product category or even very innovative. Seems to me the market is primed for an innovative product.

Continue reading Will Apple Build a Netbook?…

All eyes were on Apple today as they released their fiscal second quarter ending March 28, 2009. The numbers are in and beat most Wall Street analysis predictions.

Apple posted revenue of $8.16 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.21 billion, or $1.33 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion, or $1.16 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.4 percent, up from 32.9 percent in the same quarter last year-ago.

Continue reading Apple Financials Beat the Street…

Quickoffice Mobile Suite for iPhone $19.99, which includes Excel, Word, Email, and File integration, is now avaiable in the App Store. Bringing Office document editing to iPhone. Quickoffice maintains 100% data integrity and guarantees Microsoft compatibility with supported features listed below.

Download your copy today to find out what you’ve been missing and fall in love with your iPhone all over again.

Look for our review in the near future.

WSJ for the iPhone is a free app that offers up some nice content. Give it a download.

LaCie has two key-shaped USB flash drives that are perfect for a keychain toolkit. Named iamakey (I am a key) $32.99 or itsakey (it’s a key) $26.99 [Amazon links].

iamakey and itsakey

Keychain screwdrivers are all the rage for techie types. Check out the Swiss Tech Screwz-All Keyring Tool $4.75, the Swiss Tech Utili-Key $9.95 or the Swiss Tech Micro-Pro XL 11-in-1 Multi-Tool with LED Flashlight $19.99 [Amazon links].

Continue reading Techie’s Keychain Toys or Gifts…

Extreme vide editing using MacBook Pro’s with solid state hard drives and foldable solar panels to charge them. Also shown are a couple Sony EX3 HD cameras. [via Macenstein]

I have a new favorite Twitter client. It happens to be for the iPhone. I think that Stone Design’s Twittelator Pro, $4.99 is an excellent Twitter client that can compete with favorites like TweetDeck and Twhirl on the desktop, except it happens to run on an iPhone!

Continue reading Review: Twittelator Pro for iPhone…

AAPL has done well and Apple will be reporting their financials on April 22. Beating the recession? Maybe.

DataViz is sending out emails announcing that Documents-To-Go will be available to iPhone users early to mid May. This along with QuickOffice (also coming in a few weeks) will allow iPhone users to view and edit MS Office files directly on their mobile device.

Continue reading OS X Tip #168: Remove Adobe PDF Viewer from Safari…

GV Mobile is not made by Google, but purports to allow access to Google Voice (formerly GrandCentral). No word on cost or when this app might be available yet (if ever), so do not get too excited!

Continue reading Google Voice Access May Be Coming to iPhone…

Apple has released two new Xserve models upgraded to Intel’s Nehalem platform, which Apple claims can produce up to an 89 percent improvement in terms of performance per watt. The base model uses a single, 2.26GHz quad-core Xeon CPU, while the upper tier adds a second Xeon and allows scaling clock speed up to 2.93GHz.

Continue reading Apple Updates Xserve…

Apple just released iTunes 8.1.1 which adds “bug fixes, performance enhancements, and improved compatibility.” Run software update. The notes on Apple’s web site says the new version:

• iTunes 8.1.1 adds support for renting HD movies and provides a number of bug fixes, including addressing issues with VoiceOver and syncing with iPhone or iPod touch.

Get it direct here.